Abdelatty tells Blinken Israel needs to demonstrate genuine political will to halt Gaza war

CAIRO – 21 August 2024: Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conveyed his hope for a sincere political commitment from Israel to end the war in Gaza during the upcoming negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire.

He made these remarks in a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New Alamein city on Tuesday.

Abdelatty emphasized that such a commitment is crucial as the only avenue to put an end to the humanitarian suffering in Gaza, read a statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs.

He underscored that this genuine determination to halt hostilities is also imperative to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control and to avert regional escalation that jeopardizes the stability of the entire region and its peoples.

In their discussions, Abdelatty and Blinken delved into the ongoing efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to broker a ceasefire in Gaza that would facilitate a prisoner-hostage exchange, prevent further bloodshed of Palestinians in the enclave, and ensure the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to alleviate the existing crisis.

Met with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Abdelatty today. I thanked him for Egypt’s efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire, release of all hostages, and essential humanitarian assistance. We also agreed to continue our close coordination on finding a path for peace in Sudan. pic.twitter.com/xS6D1qS9Cg

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 20, 2024

Abdelatty outlined Egypt's shared vision with regional nations concerning the future of the Middle East stability, which hinges on finding a lasting and equitable resolution to the Palestinian cause and guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Blinken, in turn, expressed gratitude for Egypt's mediation endeavors aimed at swiftly securing a ceasefire in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Blinken also met with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, where Sisi emphasized the necessity of ending the war in Gaza and upholding the language of peace and diplomacy.

Sisi cautioned against the grave regional repercussions of an expanded conflict, underscoring the imperative for a Gaza ceasefire to mark the start of broader international acknowledgment of an independent Palestinian state and the enforcement of a two-state solution, as the primary guarantor for regional stability.

This week, Cairo is scheduled to host a fresh round of talks for a Gaza ceasefire, convening top negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, the US, and Israel in a bid to bring an end to over 10 months of war since October 7.

Last week in Doha, mediators from the United States submitted an Egyptian-Qatari backed proposal aimed at bridging remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, with ongoing technical work to refine implementation details, focusing on humanitarian provisions, captive releases, and prisoner-related specifics.

Israel has increased its demands for a ceasefire, threatening to disrupt potential agreements by insisting on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border and the Netzarim corridor dividing northern Gaza from the south.

Egypt has consistently insisted on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi corridor.

Coordination with Israel for aid delivery via the Rafah crossing has been rebuffed by Egypt since Israeli forces assumed control over the Palestinian side of the crossing on May 7, resulting in aid blockades.

According to the Gaza health ministry on Tuesday, Israeli strikes since October 7 have killed 40,173 individuals and injured 92,857. Moreover, the war has displaced the majority of Gaza's 2.2 million residents and pushed the enclave toward a looming threat of famine.